Realtor alarmed at the lack of pool care with foreclosed homes

Editor,

I find it alarming that foreclosed homes have pool problems apparently across America.

This is my thirtieth year in real estate, and for over 16 years, I called myself “The Foreclosure Queen.” I was Fannie Mae’s primary real estate agent, and handled not only all their properties but many banks and PMI companies as well. I oversaw all the maintenance of these properties – rehabs, pool maintenance and, if not, a cover for the pool. My broker paid all the bills and was reimbursed upon my submission of the bills on a periodic basis.

I sold millions of dollars worth of this type of property.

If there are real estate agents involved (in a home foreclosure with maintenance issues), they should be contacted. If not, the banks need to be contacted to clean up such a mess. Not only are there dangers for health, but also for lives if the pools are not cleaned and/or covered and secure.

I find this amazing. Perhaps the different boards or associations of Realtors can point someone in the right direction if they know agents who handle foreclosures. Although I fired Fannie Mae due to their change in management and lack of loyalty, and gave the account to another agent in another company, it was always their responsibility, and any other seller I represented, to have their property in neat and tidy order. I guess, as with everything else these days, times have changed.

Thanks for listening.
 
Patricia L. Chambers
Connell & Manziek Realty Inc.
Pensacola

Letters to the Editor posted on floridarealtors.org are opinions expressed by the letter-writer in response to news articles and not necessarily those of the Florida Association of Realtors® or other local associations and boards.
 
Floridarealtors.org reserves the right to edit letters for length, accuracy and grammar. Some letters are not published due to legal considerations or limited space.
 
For more information, please read the Editorial Guidelines page in the News and Events section.